Leveling Up Academic Life Through High School Esports

Many people think of esports as something that only professional gamers do, but that’s not the case. Students engaged in esports across the country are gaining STEM-relevant experience by working on and with technology. They learn how to produce live broadcasts and streams, how to manage their school’s social media accounts, and how to optimize their gaming computers to maximize the performance of the games. Students can now put those skills to use, earning college scholarships for esports, and the number of colleges offering esports degrees continues to grow.

At
the High School Esports
League,
we view esports as a viable educational tool, and we’re seeing more and more
K–12 leaders buying in as they see their students gain valuable college- and
career-readiness skills. Here’s how esports are helping students play their way
to college and beyond.

Data has proven time and time again that
the more involved kids are with school activities, the better they perform in
school. Esports are particularly important for students who struggle with
grades and attendance. Students who find purpose in video games have often felt
neglected, but now that schools are adopting esports, these students are
finding a new outlet that engages them in and out of the classroom. This leads
to higher grades and better attendance.

Developing Social-Emotional Connections

These
same kids are the ones who would otherwise not participate in any
extracurricular activities. Finding their niche among their peers doing something
they love helps them develop relationships with their peers and teachers

In
addition, since most coaches and educators are not yet familiar with esports
and the variety of games students play, students have opportunities to step
into leadership roles. There are usually a few that understand the game
dynamics like the back of their hands. They help their fellow students by
becoming mentors and team captains. It’s refreshing to watch students’ passions
evoke action. Taking on these leadership roles helps them develop a growth mindset.

The Contest

To further help teach students growth
mindset and the social skills that support it, we’ve partnered with UWorld to bring
students together during these challenging times for a contest. Since gamers
around the world are stuck inside, we decided to offer them something fun to
do—and the chance to win prizes.

Students can enter, share, collect points, and win! One winner will get a MainGear Gaming PC Package. One hundred winners will get a 60-day UWorld SAT®/ACT® Test Prep Combo Package to help them score big on their college admissions exams. Everyone who enters will get 20% off SAT and ACT preparation tools from UWorld. The contest runs now until May 6 at 11:59 p.m. Click here to enter.

We’re
also working with UWorld to help bring awareness of online ACT and SAT prep to
our community of high school students. We’re excited to see so many
participants motivated to win prizes and, as with esports, the ultimate reward
is being prepared for success in college and a career.